Digital Explorations:

Tools, Techniques, and Strategies for the Classroom in the Age of Disinformation, Social Media, and AI

You're Invited

You are invited to “Digital Explorations: Tools, Techniques, and Strategies for the Classroom in the Age of Disinformation, Social Media, and AI,” a professional development workshop open to all K-12 teachers and K-12 education students organized by the KU Area Studies Centers to explore the theme of the Digital Age.

This workshop approaches the digital age in both theory and practice. Educators will learn about a variety of digital tools and their applications in the classroom and will hear from experts from KU who will speak on topics like propaganda and disinformation, social media, and AI in different world regions and how it affects learning and teaching in the US.

When: July 11, 2025 9:00am-4:00pm

Where: KU Edwards Campus, Regnier Hall, Room 165

Guests can park in Lot A off 127th Street. https://edwardscampus.ku.edu/event-space-campus-map

Free & All-Inclusive

This is a free workshop made possible by Title VI National Resource Center grant funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Refreshments, snacks, and a complimentary lunch will be provided by the University of Kansas Area Studies Centers.

The Area Studies Centers will provide certificates of completion to those who finish the workshop and need documentation for professionalization points at their institution.

Agenda

8:30am-9:00am Early Bird Meet-and-Greet

Arrive early to learn about Global and Area Studies events and resources at the University of Kansas and enjoy refreshments, and the opportunity to socialize with colleagues from around the region.

9:00am-9:10am Welcome + Introductions + Overview

9:10am-10:10am Keynote address with Rachel Benson

During the keynote and interactive workshop, attendees will explore how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can bring relevance, global awareness, and purpose to any content area. Using real classroom examples, we’ll examine how these goals can motivate students and position them as agents of change. Throughout the session, attendees will learn about digital tools that enhance both instructional planning and student-led problem solving, showing how technology can elevate SDG-focused learning. Participants will leave with a concrete, personalized plan for using digital tools to meaningfully integrate the SDGs into their own teaching practice.

10:10am-10:20am Break

10:20am-12:00pm Hear from 2 KU Experts, Speakers and talk titles TBD

12:00pm-1:00pm Break for Lunch (lunch provided)

1:00pm-2:40pm Hear from 2 KU Experts, Speakers and talk titles TBD

2:40pm-2:45pm Break

2:45pm-3:45pm Workshop facilitated by Rachel Benson

3:45pm-4:00pm Wrap up and post-event survey

Meet Our Speakers

Learn more about our keynote speaker and the KU Area Studies Centers' experts conducting the workshop

Rachel Benson (keynote)

Rachel Benson is a middle school German teacher in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, and a passionate advocate for language learning as a pathway to empathy and global citizenship. She is the Central States Teacher of the Year and a finalist for the ACTFL Teacher of the Year award. A leader in educational technology and AI integration, Rachel supports fellow educators by designing practical, tech-driven strategies to enhance planning, instruction and collaboration.

She has served in leadership roles in both Missouri and Kansas, including as World Language Coordinator and Chinese Immersion Coordinator in Blue Valley, and currently as Modern Language Department Chair in Lee’s Summit. A Fulbright alum who taught in Berlin, Rachel also continues a longstanding student exchange partnership with a sister school in Germany. Her work has been featured on Wayside Publishing’s Language Lounge podcast, and she remains active in professional organizations, having served on the KWLA board and presented award-winning sessions across the region.

Dr. Rebecca Johnston (CREES)

Rebecca Adeline Johnston is a historian of Soviet culture and power with an interdisciplinary focus on information warfare in the Russian and broader post-Soviet space. She is currently a Cyber Social Fellow/Researcher for the KU Center for Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Studies.

Faculty Profile

CLACS

Bio forthcoming

Dr. James Yékú

James Yékú is an Associate Professor of African and African American studies at the University of Kansas. He specializes in African literary and cultural studies, as well as digital humanities research. He is the author of the 2022 monograph Cultural Netizenship: Social Media, Popular Culture, and Performance in Nigeria, along with a collection of nonfiction and two poetry collections. Yeku's latest book The Algorithmic Age of Personality: African Literature and Cancel Culture, is scheduled for release next week by Michigan State University Press.